Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an active air flap and an active air flap assembly, and more particularly, to an active air flap which automatically opens an air flap when an actuator error occurs or power supplied to the actuator is disengaged, and an active air flap assembly.
Description of Related Art
Generally, an engine compartment of a vehicle includes various heat exchangers such as a radiator, an intercooler, an evaporator, and a condenser as well as components for operation, such as an engine. The heat exchangers contain a heat-exchange medium circulating therein. As the heat-exchange medium contained within the heat exchangers circulates the heat with the air external to the heat exchangers, cooling or heat radiation occurs. Thus, to ensure that the various heat exchangers in the engine compartment of the vehicle are stably operated, the external air is continuously supplied into the engine compartment. However, when the vehicle operates at high speed, a substantial amount of external air is introduced at high speed and thus increases the air resistance. Accordingly, the fuel efficiency of the vehicle may be degraded.
Accordingly, an active air flap device has been developed. The active air flap device increases the amount of air introduced to the engine compartment by increasing an opening angle during low-speed operation, and reduces the amount of air introduced to the engine compartment by reducing the opening angle during high-speed operation, thereby improving fuel efficiency.
FIGS. 1 and 2 are exemplary diagrams that describe the problem of the conventional active air flap device according to the related art. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, when an actuator is operated by an external condition (e.g., engine temperature or cooling water temperature), the air flap of the conventional active air flap device is rotated to open or close a duct. In the conventional active air flap device, however, the air flap cannot be operated when an actuator error occurs or power supplied to the actuator is disengaged. In particular, when the air flap cannot be operated when the air flap closes the duct, the temperatures of the engine and the heat exchangers may be increased causing vehicle error.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.